Facebook reacts to live-streamed footage of the deadly New Zealand mass shooting that was posted on its platform

Police attempt to clear people from outside a mosque in central Christchurch, New Zealand, Friday, March 15, 2019. Many people were killed in a mass shooting at a mosque in the New Zealand city of Christchurch on Friday, a witness said. Police have not yet described the scale of the shooting but urged people in central Christchurch to stay indoors.
(AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Facebook confirmed to INSIDER that it has deleted a video that appears to be a livestream of the Christchurch shooting, which happened in New Zealand on Friday afternoon local time.

Police have confirmed "significant" fatalities but have not yet released the official death toll.

"Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and the community affected by this horrendous act," said Facebook's Mia Garlick, director of policy for Australia and New Zealand.

Facebook confirmed that it deleted a video that appears to be a livestream of the Christchurch shooting that happened in New Zealand on Friday afternoon local time. It also deleted the account that the video was posted from.

The video, seen by Business Insider Australia, shows a person loading a shotgun and an assault rifle into a silver vehicle. The person arrives at their destination, which appears to be a mosque, they walk through a gate and start firing on people inside.

Police have confirmed "significant" fatalities; Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called it a "terrorist attack" on Friday and said that 40 were killed.

"Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and the community affected by this horrendous act," Facebook's Mia Garlick, director of policy for Australia and New Zealand, told INSIDER in an email.

"New Zealand Police alerted us to a video on Facebook shortly after the livestream commenced, and we quickly removed both the shooter's Facebook and Instagram accounts and the video," Garlick continued. "We're also removing any praise or support for the crime and the shooter or shooters as soon as we're aware. We will continue working directly with New Zealand Police as their response and investigation continues."

Facebook, which does not allow mass murderers to have an account on its platform, will continue to look for copies of the video on its platform and remove them as and when it finds them.

Facebook uses a combination of technology and human moderators to review and remove content that violates its policies.

It will also delete any content that praises or supports the shooter or the act.

There was another shooting at a separate mosque nearby; no footage has emerged from that attack.

Police also said that IEDs had been attached to vehicles.

Three men and one woman are currently being held in custody by New Zealand police.

Ardern spoke during a press conference on Friday afternoon: "It is clear that this is one of New Zealand's darkest days. Clearly what has happened here is an extraordinary and unprecedented act of violence.

"Many of those impacted by the shootings may be migrants, and they have chosen to make New Zealand their home. They are us. The person who perpetuated this violence is not," she said.

"There is absolutely no place in New Zealand for such extreme acts of unprecedented violence."